EAL & New Arrivals
EAL & New Arrivals resources
Practical resources for supporting children with English as an Additional Language — induction packs, survival vocabulary, subject-specific scaffolds and cultural orientation.
Where to start
Curator's picks for eal & new arrivals.
If you're new to LessonKind eal & new arrivals, these are the resources we'd point you to first.
EAL Quick Reference — One Page for Mainstream Teachers
A one-page reference card summarising the most important things mainstream teachers need to know when supporting EAL learners. Print and stick on your desk.
School Life Explained — A Guide for Newcomers
An illustrated guide explaining the unwritten rules of school in English-speaking countries — for children newly arrived. Covers PE kits, packed lunches, assemblies, school trips and more.
EAL Phonics Starter Pack
Adapted phonics introduction for EAL learners — pictures and visual cues for every sound, no English vocabulary assumed.
EAL Sentence Stems — Cross-Curricular Pack
Sentence starters for every part of the school day — answering questions, giving opinions, explaining work, asking for help. Print, laminate, give the child their own copy.
Browse all eal & new arrivals resources
EAL Classroom Communication Board
A single-sheet visual board children can point to when they don't have the English to say what they need. Print A3, laminate, mount on the wall.
EAL Home Language Information Form
A short form to send home with new arrivals — gathers essential information about the child's language background, prior schooling and family situation.
EAL New Arrival — First Day Checklist
What to do in the first hour, first morning and first afternoon when a child with no English joins your class. Practical, kind, ready to print.
EAL Parent Welcome Pack
A welcome pack for EAL families joining the school — explains the school day, key terms, what to bring, parent-teacher communication.
EAL Phonics Starter Pack
Adapted phonics introduction for EAL learners — pictures and visual cues for every sound, no English vocabulary assumed.
EAL Quick Reference — One Page for Mainstream Teachers
A one-page reference card summarising the most important things mainstream teachers need to know when supporting EAL learners. Print and stick on your desk.
EAL Survival Vocabulary — 50 Picture Cards
The 50 most essential English words for a new arrival — toilet, water, hungry, hurt, friend, help. Picture cards to laminate and use daily.
EAL Visual Timetable — Cut-Out Cards
Picture cards for every subject and routine in a typical school day. Arrange in order to show 'what's happening today' to a child who can't yet read.
Celebrating Our Class Cultures — Activity Pack
Five activities that put EAL children's cultures at the centre — a class flags wall, a 'word of the week' from a child's language, a culture share day, and more.
EAL Initial Language Assessment Form
A printable form for the first formal EAL assessment — based on the DfE Proficiency in English scale. Use in week 2-4 once child has settled.
EAL Math Vocabulary — Picture Cards
40 essential math words for EAL learners — add, subtract, equals, more, less, half. Each with a visual cue and example sentence.
EAL Progress Tracking Template
A simple half-termly tracker for an EAL learner's progress across listening, speaking, reading and writing. Plus space for next-step priorities.
EAL Pronunciation Challenges by First Language
A practical reference: which English sounds tend to be hard for speakers of specific first languages. Covers Spanish, Polish, Arabic, Mandarin, Urdu, Somali.
EAL Sentence Stems — Cross-Curricular Pack
Sentence starters for every part of the school day — answering questions, giving opinions, explaining work, asking for help. Print, laminate, give the child their own copy.
EAL Bilingual Story Prompts
12 story prompts that EAL learners can write in their first language, English, or both. Strengthens both languages and respects the child's full linguistic identity.
EAL Pre-Teaching Vocabulary — Lesson Template
A simple template for pre-teaching key vocabulary before a lesson — 5 minutes that transforms how an EAL child can access mainstream content.
EAL Science Vocabulary — 40 Picture Cards
40 high-frequency science words organised by topic — life, materials, forces, earth and space — with picture cues and example uses.
EAL Writing Frames — 6 Levels of Support
Six writing frames at increasing levels of support, from copying full sentences to filling in single words. Pick the level that matches your child's current English.
School Life Explained — A Guide for Newcomers
An illustrated guide explaining the unwritten rules of school in English-speaking countries — for children newly arrived. Covers PE kits, packed lunches, assemblies, school trips and more.
Editorial
Articles for eal & new arrivals teachers.
Long-form pieces that go deeper than the resources — written by a qualified primary teacher, not generated.
Reading & literacy
Why Children Hate Writing (And What Actually Helps)
Most children love drawing and storytelling. Many start to hate writing somewhere around Year 3. Here's why, and what teachers can do about it.
6 min read
Reading & literacy
Phonics Screening: A Parent's Honest Guide
Every June, parents of UK Year 1 children worry about a 40-word test their child has to take. Here's what it's actually measuring, what the result means, and what to do about it — including the bit most schools don't tell you.
8 min read
EAL & inclusion
Five Myths About Bilingual Children (And What the Research Actually Says)
Five widely-held beliefs about bilingual children that turn out to be wrong, with the research that should replace them. Useful for teachers, parents and school leaders.
7 min read
EAL & inclusion
The Silent Period — Why Your EAL Child Isn't Speaking
When a new EAL arrival barely speaks for weeks, teachers worry. The silent period is well-documented in the research, almost universal, and often a sign of cognitive work happening below the surface.
6 min read
EAL & inclusion
Teaching a Child Who Doesn't Speak Any English Yet
When a new arrival is sat at the back of your class with no English and no warning, here's what to do in the first hour, the first week and the first term.
9 min read
Teaching strategy
The Art of the Three-Second Pause
The most underused tool in elementary teaching is the pause. Here's why it works — and how to make it part of your practice.
5 min read
Hand-built collections